2011 State Services Commission Public Sector Award
Ministry of Social Development
The Ministry of Social Development's "Chief for a Day" program is an innovative learning initiative, using a full-day simulation to rapidly raise the political nous in the Ministry's managers. Using real case studies and re-creating a day in the life of the top boss means managers have to make decisions, develop key messages for difficult issues, brief senior stakeholders and handle a camera interview.
All of these activities are scored and fed back immediately using experienced senior managers. During the course of the day the quality of judgment, decision making, and written work visibly and rapidly improves. This initiative is a great example of learning-by-doing, partnering with the business to have real world content and with leader-led development.
The Judges’ said “Chief for a Day” was an extremely well thought out and executed program. Chief for a Day is real, actionable and transferable applied learning. It has wider Public Sector outcomes in contributing to a high performing, trusted and accessible State sector.
The Organisational Development team at the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) partnered with Communications, Legal, and Human Resources to deliver a phenomenal development opportunity for its managers - one participant observed the programme was very effective in preparing her to act into the General Manager role.
The programme has wider benefits for the Public Service and it’s pleasing that MSD is actively working to make the programme available to other agencies.
